Happy Birthday, Dad
by xXlost.in.paradiseXx
Summary: "It's just...he was a part of me, and when he passed away, that part of me flew away with him. There's something about him that makes me need him in my life. I know he had to leave, it's just, I need him." One-Shot, Jade-centric, Bade friendship/romance.


I was currently crying on my little brothers shoulder, while he cried on mine. I had a good reason, though.

It was someones birthday. It was Richard Daniel West's birthday. Or, as I know him, my father. I wanted to wish him a happy birthday. But, I couldn't. He was far away from me. I would never see him again. Because no one can actually see the _dead._

Richard West died May 11th, 2007, in a car crash on his way home from work. He was coming to see his lovely wife and two wonderful children. That would mean my mother, my little brother and I. He was only forty-six years old. He never got to see my brother, Hayden, or I grow up. I'm usually not this sensitive. You're probably thinking _Is this really Jade West? _No, Idiot, it's a clone.

When I woke up this morning, I immediately put my head back on my pillow. Usually, I do that because I can't be bothered to wake up early, but today, I just didn't want to face the Earth. Or my family. Or my friends. Or Beck. I just wanted to stay in that position for the rest of the day. And I could if I wanted to. But the thoughts of my dad kept flashing in my mind.

"God, please take care of him. Please." I whispered into my pillow, feeling tears roll down my face. At that moment, I put my head up from my pillow a bit. On my nightstand, I could see sunlight, entering from my window, and hitting the framed picture of my father, Hayden, and I. It was taken only two months before he passed away. I was only twelve and Hayden was nine. "Happy birthday, Dad." I said softly, and before I knew it, I had burst into tears again. My head was face down on my solid black pillow.

I had heard the door open. Then I remembered I had forgotten to lock my door last night. _Shit. _I flipped myself on my back and sat up to see who it was. Hayden, now fifteen years old was seen walking in.

"Hey." Hayden said quietly. He walked to the other side of my room, and opened the black curtains, in which the full, beaming sunlight almost blinded me.

"What do you want?" I asked, harshly, as my eyes recovered from the sudden burst of light.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing." Hayden said, keeping his cool, which was something that he had learned from Beck, I was guessing. To be honest, I just wanted to hug Hayden, and burst out crying like everyone sees in those cliché movies. But, I knew I had to stay strong for him. I thought at that time that I should just treat this like any normal day, so Hayden didn't get upset too.

"I'm fine. Now leave." I yelled, looking away from him. But he didn't leave, he got closer. I felt his hand on my back.

I heard him sigh. "You don't have to be so strong around me, Jade. How do you think I feel? Mom's already at work, and Darren and Jodie wouldn't understand. I'm not like you, where I can just cry into a pillow and act like everything's okay. I need a shoulder to cry on." He firmly said. Darren was our step-father, and Jodie was out step-sister. And he was right, he did need a shoulder to cry on. I know my mother had left early for the same reason I wanted to stay in my room, she didn't want to face us. For the first time since Hayden had come in, I looked him in the eye.

"Do you want the truth?" I asked him, sitting up.

He nodded, almost automatically.

"I'm hurting as much as you. This is an act I'm getting of. I miss dad. It was just another piece of my heart crushed when he passed away," I could see his eyes getting a bit puffy, and he was biting his lip. "now sit down, shut up, and cry." I told him, fully sitting up, getting out of the covers, and grabbing his wrist to pull him down, so he sat down next to me.

He immediately put his head on my shoulder and hugged me, and I could feel his tears lightly damping my grey pajamas. But I didn't care, because I was doing the same back to him.

Now this brings us up to the present. I slowly pulled away from my younger brother, but I could feel both of us still sniffling. "Go back to your room. I think we both need some alone time."

He sighed and stood up from my bed exiting my room. I saw my phone vibrate on my nightstand. The name _Beck Oliver _came up on the screen with a picture of him with me, and he was kissing the side of my head. We had gotten back together about two weeks ago, but I didn't want him to see me cry. He'll get worried and come over, and trust me, that will happen. I wanted to be alone in my room, maybe I'll message Cat or something, cause I'll scare her not to come over. I pressed decline all three times Beck tried to call me.

I simply texted him. 'I'll call you back later, Babe. Not in the mood to talk.'

I logged on to my laptop to get myself distracted for a while.

_"Jade, we have to get to the hospital, get Hayden."_

_"Sweetheart, Daddy will be fine."_

_"I'm sorry Jade, your father has passed away."_

May 11th, 2007 came back in my head again. Everything was still so vivid to me. But it didn't seem so real. Why hadn't it been a nightmare? Then Dad would still be here if it was. Him, Mom, Hayden, and I would be cutting some cake to celebrate his birthday. Hayden and dad would be wearing some stupid hat. I would throw my piece of cake at the video camera that my mom was pointing at my face, and run upstairs to my room after saying "Happy birthday."

I was ripped from my thoughts when I heard a _ding _come from my computer. I saw Cat message me.

_**Hi hi Jade, are you okay?**_

I'm fine, Cat.

_**Jadey...**_

Don't call me that! And fine. I'm sad. Okay? I don't plan on coming out of my room today, and the only person I've talked face-to-face to is Hayden. Beck tried calling me, but I didn't want to answer.

**_Call him back. He's been there for you every year, why are you pushing him away now?_**

For once, Cat actually made sense. But, I'm promising myself that I'm talking to him only for fifteen minutes. No more, and no less.

Fine, I'll call him now. Whatever. Message me back in fifteen minutes so I know when to hang up.

I grabbed my phone, and called Beck right away. After two rings I heard his calm, cool voice.

"Hey babe."

"Hey. Look, I know you called because of my dad's birthday-"

"I did, and I just wanted to comfort-"

"I don't nee-"

"Yes you-"

"Would you just let me talk!" We both snapped at the same time.

"I don't want to fight with you, because I know you're upset right now." Beck calmly said. I don't know why...but I started to cry.

"I miss him so much, Beck. He really understood me. He was like the older sibling I never had. Why'd he have to go?" I yelled into the phone, half upset and half angry.

There was a short pause before Beck answered. "Everything happens for a reason, Jade. When your father was in the hospital bed, he was thinking of you, Hayden, and your mother. But, he couldn't suffer anymore. He didn't want to suffer anymore. Your dad is going to live a more peaceful life now, then he would ever have down here where he's still recovering from a painful accident."

I cried even more. But, I felt some sort of satisfaction when Beck was talking. It was like, he was _meant _to protect me. To comfort me. "It's just..." I paused for a second before I continued. "he was a part of me, and when he passed away, that part of me flew away with him. There's something about him that makes me need him in my life. I know he had to leave, it's just, I need him."

I could feel Beck's sad smile through the phone. "I'm sorry Jade, I guess I just never got it. You know, I like this side of you better."

"What do you mean?"

"Where you actually are honest with feelings, not trying to hide them with some facade."

I rolled my eyes. He sounded just like Hayden. I heard another _ding _from my laptop, it was Cat again.

_**Time's up.**_

"I have to go. Love you."

"Love you too." He said. And I hung up.

Part of me was relieved that our dramatic phone conversation was over.

Part of me was angry at Cat for interrupting our dramatic phone conversation.

And part of me was still with Dad.

* * *

**May 11th, 2007, I lost my father to a car crash. Today is his birthday. This was based off what happened to me today. Thank you everyone for all your support. Some of this dialogue was really spoken, so yeah...but "Hayden" is actually my little sister Lindsay, and Beck is my fiancé, Derek. Cat is SORT OF I-Am-Not-A-Smiley-Person, except our conversation wasn't even _close _to that. So, yeah.**

**I miss you Dad, and I love you. Lindsay and Mom miss you too.**

**_Lindsay (Silver Rose) here. I really didn't write this one shot, but, I miss my dad. I just wanted to say, don't be an idiot, and stop yourself from drinking and driving. You could save a life. The drunk driver killed two people on May 11th, 2007, our father, and himself. So please, again, you could save a life._**

**Rock and Roll,**

**GG&SR**


End file.
